The Rooms

Dorney Court remains a living home as it has been for over 500 years and the happy synthesis of ancient, old and contemporary filter through the Rooms.

The layout of the House today is little changed from 1500. The relationship of the Great Hall to the Kitchens, Buttery, Pantry, Cellar, Passageways and Courtyard to the west and the Parlour and Great Chamber are the same or similar to many medieval houses.

Spaniels and children rather than velvet ropes are more likely spotted by visitors and from the understated elegance of the Parlour to the lofty baronial fantasy of the vaulted Great Hall, Dorney Court possesses one of the most fascinating interiors of any similar building of its time. Architecturally, the design of the Great Hall and of the many parabolic ceilings, represented cutting edge advances at the time they were built.

In contrast to the rough-edged beauty of the principal rooms, the William and Mary Dining Room with its stunning painted floor to the 1970s Pink Bathroom are reminders that the House continues to evolve for better and for worse while the chill gloom of the Ghost Room belies the cheerfully eccentric character of the building. Undoubtedly, a tour of the House is a memorable and fascinating experience.